Improvement in crimping-forms for boots and shoes



2 SheetsSheet 1. H. A. ROBINSON.

CRIM-PING FORMS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES. No.178,330. Patented June 6,1876.

WITNESSES NYPETERS. Pnoro-Llmcempun. WASHINGTON, u c,

Y 2 SheetsSheet2.. H.-A. ROBINSON;

CRIMPING FORMS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES. N 178,33Q Patented June (5,1876.

WITNESSES INVENTOR N.PETERS. FHOTO-LHHOGRAPNER, WASHINGTON, D c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTGE;

HENRY A. ROBINSON, OF AKRON, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN CRlMPlNG-FORMS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. I 78330, dated June 6, 1876; application filed April 12,1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. ROBINSON, of Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crimping-Boards and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved crimping-board for crimping boot-fronts; and consists in forming the foot-crimpin g board so that'that portion of the upper edge extending from the leg to the toe shall form a depressed curve, and the toe more elevated than has been the custom heretofore in making boot-crimps, the object being to so stretch the leather that when it is lasted that portion of the leather which forms the shank may press easily into the shank without requiring the leather to be stretched at that point in order to bring it into its proper position.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved crimping-board. Fig. 2 represents a set or nest of crimping-boards, all of siinilar construction, but being of various sizes to correspond with the different sizes of boots.

Heretofore it has been customary in making crimping-boards to make the upper portion of the foot, or that portion which extends from r the leg to the point of the toe, straight, or

nearly so, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. So, also, it has been customary in making crimping-boards to have the toe depressed lower than is shown in my construction by the full lines in Fig. 1. In crimping a bootleg over the old form of crimping-boards the boot-front is so crimped that when it is afterward lasted the strain upon the leather is at the lower edges thereof, and it is therefore necessary, in order to properly last the bootfront at the shank to stretch the leather considerably at the lower edges. Moreover, the front, when crimped on the old form of crimping-board, causes the leather when lasting to bag up in the immediate vicinity of the ball, which bagging up is obliged to be worked out by forcibly stretching the leather down to the shank. The resultis a boot-front that, when lasted, the leather is strained to a greater extent at the ball than at any other portion of the foot. Moreover, it presents the leather in such a condition that it will not wear uniformly or easily upon the foot on account of the unequal stretch. of the leather.. Moreover, the boot-front cannot be brought to so perfect a fit upon the last as it can when crimped upon a crimping-board like that one in my invention shown by the full lines in Fig. 1.

A is the crimping-board. the foot. D is the junction of the top edge of the foot with the front edge of the leg. E is the toe, elevated, as shown in Fig. l, considerably above the point E on the old form of criin pin g-board. D F E represent the depressed curve formed on the top edge of the foot of my crimping-board. G is the under side of the toe of the crimping-board, which, it will be seen, is correspondingly elevated about the corresponding point G on the old last. H is the heel of the crimping-board, and it will be noticed that the strain or stretch of the leather will be in a direct line from G to H, whereas the bottom or lower edge of the leather which is to form the footis considerably below this line of stretch. It is apparent, therefore, that a boot-front crimped upon my crimping-board, and made to fit the crimp accurately, will not present the bagging at the ball of the foot that is presented on the old last; that the necessity for this extra amount of leather, as required in the old case, is here obviated by throwing that portion of the leather which is to come into the shank below the line of stretch G H, so that when the boot-front is lasted the front or toe portion is fastened to the last and the heel drawn down into its properv position the leather which was formerly along the top edge of the foot will fit nicely upon the last, and that portion which is to form the shank will be perfectly free and unstretched, and can'be readily pressed with the fingers into its proper position on the last; and, when finally lasted, the portion that receives the stretch is that embraced between the instep and the heel H.

Heretofore it has been customary in making crimping-boards, as before stated, with the upper edge of the foot D F E straight, or nearly so, and therefore all sizes of boot-fronts have been crimped on the same crimping- Bis the leg; C,

board; but a crimping-board constructed in accordance with my invention, with a depressed curve, D F E, is not suited to crimp all sizes of boot-fronts, but each difi'erent size will have its own crimping-board for the reason that the distance from the point D to the ball F will vary with the diflerent sizes of boots. Thus a smaller crimping-board, though similar to the above, should be employed for youths boots. Another larger, but similar 'board, should be employed for boys size. Still another for mens size; and as the sizes in these different grades vary somewhat, there should be two or more youths size, two or more boys size, 860., thus forming a-group or nest of graded crimping-boards whichform a system Moreover, it will be of such crimping-boards. noticed that by the, old form of crimping-board more leather was necessarily thrown into the shank than was u'ltimately required at that r Witnesses:

point, and it has to be cut away after last ing; but by my crimping-board the leather is dropped down upon the top edge of the foot,

or along the line D E F, and consequently material is saved about the land a foot, 0, with the points D G H located with respectto each other and with respect to the curve F, that the line of stretch-will be in lasting along the line G H, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

' In testimony whereof [have signed my name to. this specification in the presence of two sub scribing witnesses.

' HENRY A. ROBINSON.

FRANCIS ToUMEY, JAMES P. WALSH. 

